


you're so fucking precious when you smile

by Correnteza



Category: Victorious (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, F/F, cat valentine has dimple piercings and it's adorable, piercer au, tori's gay for it, who wouldn't be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:53:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26926168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Correnteza/pseuds/Correnteza
Summary: Tori Vega decides she wants a piercing after an eight hour work day. She swoons so hard for her piercer, Cat, that she passes out.Or"You have really pretty eyes."
Relationships: Cat Valentine/Tori Vega
Comments: 15
Kudos: 98





	you're so fucking precious when you smile

**Author's Note:**

  * For [coffeegaze](https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeegaze/gifts).



> Cat Valentine would be ADORABLE with dimple piercings don't @ me.
> 
> Anyway, hope you all enjoy!

Cat was never really alone at work, but sometimes it felt like she was. She was just as artistic as her coworkers, and they were never unkind to her, even offering to hang her drawings and paintings if she wanted to offer them for sale to their clientele. The redhead just felt as though an unseen barrier existed between them; she wasn’t a tattoo artist, was only the residential piercer, and since her days were usually the least full out of everyone’s, she more often than not was also their receptionist. She wasn’t complaining, not at all! She loved her job, loved how sweet most of her clients were, loved being able to make them smile. She just wished that she didn’t feel left out of the little family that existed in the workplace.

She was pulled from her mild pouting when the large bells hanging from the doorknob jingled and clanged against the wooden door, the sound making her lift her head in time to see a young woman around her own age, mid-twenties, with pretty, bright eyes and hair in a very messy bun that looked like it had seen a rather full day.

“Hi, welcome, my name is Cat, do you have an appointment or?” She let the question trail off as the other woman looked around a little before returning her smile.

“Ah, no, not officially anyway. I called the other day about getting a piercing and I think I spoke to you, actually? You said I could just come on by whenever I had time and we could figure it out. I’m Tori.”

“Oh, right!” The other woman seemed surprised that Cat remembered their interaction. “You apologized for your puppy like ten times during the conversation,” a giggle bubbled past her lips, “you wanted to pierce your nose, right?”

Tan cheeks heated up just a bit at the memory, a soft laugh leaving her as she nodded slowly, “Yeah, that’s me. Uh, do you have time tonight? And sorry, I don't mean to stare or anything, but your dimple piercings.. did they hurt? They look really good, I've just never seen them in person.”

“Totally! And they were a little tender because of how much your cheeks move with your expressions, but it was so worth it!" She reached into her drawer to pull out her pink clipboard. "Okay sweetheart, just read through this consent form and fill it out, I’ll pop into my station and check if everything is done in the autoclave. When I get back, I’ll show you the different options we have for jewelry, you know, studs, rings, the different colors and materials.” She handed the clipboard over to Tori, plucking a pen from the mug on the corner and offering it up.

“Oh, yeah, for sure, that sounds great,” Tori returned the sweet smile, her brain stuttering a little at the name, gaze roaming the woman's arms where pretty floral tattoos wrapped here and there on the left one. Her right arm was more cartoony, had a couple animals scattered about. Coffee eyes returned to hazel ones and watched the slender woman dip into the back area before she took herself to the couch and sank into it to read the form she was given. By default, paperwork made Tori a bit anxious. It gave her flashbacks to all the forms she had to fill out in high school in preparation for college, or the forms she filled out the first time she went to a new doctor, or even the adoption forms for Spork. Okay, maybe they didn’t give her _anxiety_ , but they definitely stressed her out a little. Thankfully, the one in front of her now seemed to just be common sense. She was sober, not on blood thinners, and had every intention of following the aftercare instructions she was given closely.

She didn’t even hear Cat return, jumping a little when she looked up to find those honey eyes patiently watching her. Rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly, Tori offered a shy grin as she rose to her feet, handing the clipboard back. “All done,” she reported.

“Awesome, I just need your license to make a copy of and we’ll file you away in the cabinet!”

“I… ah, I don’t have a license, actually, is my ID fine?” God, Tori wanted to punch herself. “Sorry, that’s a dumb question, it’s been a long day, I swear I’m not this stupid.” The giggle her words earned almost made embarrassing herself worth it.

“Hey, there’s no such thing as a stupid question,” Cat promised as she took the plastic card and set up the printer. Seconds later, she was turning to face the brunette again, her smile never slipping or shrinking. “Okay, so now that that’s out of the way, over to the left- shit, sorry, right for you, we have our display cases with all your options!” She took a few steps to her left, a nail gently tapping the glass as she explained the standard size they would use and the benefits of the different metals in case her customer had any allergies. “And I mean, even if none of these catch your eye, I can order something in for you or give you a couple reputable sites to order from!” Cat assured the slightly overwhelmed woman.

“Um, wow, they look amazing, but I’m just looking for something simple, I really like this gold hoop, do you think it would look okay?” Tori wasn’t sure why she felt so shy, she had known from the beginning what she wanted, but actually going through the steps had her a little on edge.

“Of course! Are you kidding, it’ll look super cute on you! Do you want to buy it today, or when you come back in about a week? What I do is, I’ll start you on one a big bigger because you’re going to swell a little, and the bigger one will keep the skin from getting suffocated, then in about a week I’ll have you come in and I’ll take a quick look just to make sure everything is okay and just change out the ring for you. There’s no extra charge or anything, you’re just paying me today for the process of the piercing, and then it’s up to you when you want to buy the smaller ring.” The redhead always got a little nervous at this part, as there had been a few incidents where clients didn’t want to pay the price of more premium jewelry when stores in the mall sold lower quality products for under twenty bucks.

Fortunately, it seemed that Tori wasn’t going to be one of those people-- the artists called them _Karens._ She simply nodded and checked something on her phone before tucking it away again. “If it’s okay, I’ll just pick it up next time. I don’t want to risk losing it or the puppy getting up where he shouldn’t and yeah.”

“Yeah, that’s no problem! And if you wanna show me the cutie while we get you set up, I definitely won’t complain.” A playful wink was thrown Tori’s way before the piercer gestured for the other woman to follow her back. They could hear the low murmurs of conversation, some fairly quiet music, and the buzz of machines as Cat led her client to her little work station. Out of habit, the redhead closed the door for Tori’s privacy, even if the piercing was nothing risque.

As directed, Tori took a seat on the padded table, scooting back to rest her back against the wall as she watched the smaller woman wash her hands and dry them thoroughly before putting a pair of gloves on. Humming under her breath, the redhead opened a drawer and took a blue marker from it before she was gently invading Tori’s space and filling the air with the scent of cotton candy and something else.

“Left or right nostril?” Cat verified as she uncapped her marker. “I’m just gonna touch your face now, okay? And mark where it’s going to go.”

“Yeah, for sure. And, uh, this side,” Tori tapped her right nostril with the same hand, her brain too fried from work to figure out words like left and right at the moment. She watched as Cat nodded and opened an alcohol swab, the sharp scent assaulting her nose as the area was sanitized before the wipe was tossed into a small trash can. She felt a gentle hand cradle her jaw, guiding her head to turn a little more toward the light before Cat made a small dot on her nostril. The girl turned away for a moment, allowing Tori to tell herself to stop being a gay mess and be professional for once in her existence.

When Cat faced the brunette again, she held out a simple mirror and offered a warm smile. “Check it out, if you want me to move it just ask, it’s no problem.”

Tori studied her reflection for long moments, turning her head a bit to see from a different angle. “No, this looks great.” She went to hand the mirror back, but was instructed to just set it down beside her on the table.

“Okay. I’m gonna use a clamp to hold the skin still, it’ll be a little pinch, nothing unbearable here. I’ll talk you through what I’m doing and it’ll be over before you know it,” Cat murmured, showing her client the tool before carefully clamping it down on her nostril. Next was the sterile needle. “If you wanna close your eyes, that’s totally fine.”

Tori wasn’t strong enough to keep them open, her eyes closing almost immediately at the words. Her nerves were starting to get to her, her fingers trembling in her lap. Mentally, she reassured herself. This would be fine. The other woman had been nothing but kind and was being very professional. It would be over in less than a minute.

“Okay. Deep breath in for me,” Cat’s voice was soft and gentle, and Tori complied, holding that breath for a second before that sweet voice sounded again. “Exhale slow, it’s just going to be a quick pinch while you breathe out.”

Tori wasn’t sure if she murmured an okay or if it was just a thought. The pinch was sharp, but it wasn’t unbearable, wasn’t enough to make her grimace or flinch. It was just pressure.

“You’ve got this, just one second, I’m just getting the ring in for you.”

That was the last thing Tori remembered. She wasn’t sure if Cat had a little bit of a struggle, or if it was just the sensation of the metal moving, but her body didn’t respond well.

“Oh!” Cat had just barely clasped the ring shut when her client’s body went limp. Quickly, she set the needle down on her tray, her other arm immediately going out to catch the other woman’s weight before she could slump over to the side. Both arms were soon supporting Tori, gently lowering her down to the table’s surface.

Just as quickly as Tori had passed out, she was coming back to. Hazy eyes opened slowly, her body not quite on the table yet and still supported by warm arms. “You… you have really pretty eyes.” Her voice sounded far away even to her own ears, and she saw that charming smile one more time before those lips were moving and Tori was trying hard to hear what the other woman was saying.

“You passed out, I’m laying you down, I’m gonna get you some water, just hold on, okay?” Gently, Cat pulled her arms away, turning and scampering over to the tiny fridge in the corner to get a travel-sized bottle of water out for the woman. From her drawer also came a little packet, about the same size as the alcohol wipe had been, and she was back at Tori’s side, handing her the bottle. “Take it slow, after you have a few sips I have a sugar tablet to get your blood sugar back up and get you your color back. I’m just going to dab away the few drops of blood for you, you did amazing, once you’re feeling steady again I’ll let you check it out.”

Tori was mortified, to say the least. With each sip, she felt a little better, slowly returning to the present. She opened the packet and popped the tablet into her mouth, closing her eyes to avoid Cat's gaze as she chewed slowly. She felt like such an idiot, she wasn't sure what had pushed her past her limits, and even worse was the distinct memory of her first words upon waking again. She heard the redhead step away, and slowly opened her eyes before pushing herself back up carefully. 

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Cat was nothing but gentle, sitting in her stool so she wasn't towering over her companion. 

"Awful, oh my god, I'm so sorry, I probably sounded so creepy, I'm so, so sorry."

"No, no, it was wholesome!" Cat promised, shaking her head and trying not to smile. "Does your head feel okay though? Was the pain too much, did you eat today?"

That was when it sank in. Tan cheeks flushed almost immediately. "Oh my god, I'm so stupid. I just got out of an eight hour work shift and I completely forgot that I missed my lunch because we were short staffed. I was just going to grab something on my way home after here, god I'm really sorry."

"Hey, don't be so mean to yourself! Tons of people pass out during piercings for plenty of different reasons. If you want to hang out a little longer to make sure you'll be okay to get home, that's totally fine. Just in the future definitely make sure you eat something or even drink something really sugary before you get any kind of work done. I have some candy you can snack on to help you get your strength back, don't even sweat it. Just check out the piercing and let me know if it looks okay, yeah?"

Tori slowly nodded, still too embarrassed to exist as she picked up the mirror carefully and examined her reflection. God, why was she still blushing so much? Forcing herself to focus, she studied the golden ring in her nostril, every bit as elegant as its counterpart in the display case. Even if it was a bit bigger, it didn't look ridiculous or bad, and it looked just as cute as Cat had assured her it would. A small smile played on her lips when she returned the mirror and finally faced her piercer again. "It's amazing. Thank you so much, and I promise I won't be like this next week."

The words earned a chuckle, Cat setting the mirror aside and giving her a few packs of gummy bears. "If you're feeling okay, we'll get you back out so you can go home to your furry baby." She watched with amusement as one pack was opened and emptied into Tori's mouth before the woman even stood. She led her client out of the room and down the hallway to the front desk again. There, Tori paid in cash and tipped Cat, apologizing one more time before listening closely to the instructions on how to care for her piercing. On the back of the paper she sent Tori home with, Cat wrote down the instructions on making her own saline solution at home, and gave her one of her business cards.

"My social media is on there, if you have any questions before you come in again, message me anytime."

"Thank you so much again. Have a good night!" With that, Tori was heading out and to her ride, disappearing into the evening and leaving Cat to start closing up and cleaning up her work station.

Tori didn't make the charismatic woman wait too long, messaging her only two days later. _Hey, my best friend has a couple piercings and I read over the paper, so I know I'm not supposed to turn it and fuck with it. And I'm not!! But when I clean it, it doesn't budge at all, and usually they move a tiny bit?? Or my ears did and I've seen her clean some of her piercings and it seemed like they'd shift a tiny bit?_

She wasn't left waiting anxiously for too long, her phone chiming with a reply. It was a picture of Cat giving her a thumbs up, followed by the actual message. _Don't worry! You're not doing anything wrong, and good for not turning and twisting it! The area you got pierced just has tougher, thicker skin so it really isn't gonna budge much during healing, especially if there's still any swelling. Trust me, give it until the day you come back in. It'll move freely enough for us to swap it out, and as it heals completely it'll move easily. As long as you're not playing with it, keeping it clean, and doing those soaks, you'll be great!_

It was as simple as that. Only, it didn't quite end there. Cat asked if she had any other concerns, Tori asked how her day was going, and somehow they talked for the rest of the day until Tori was retiring to bed. This continued in much the same fashion for the next few days, Tori feeling it rude not to respond to the last message she saw from Cat when she woke up in the morning. She wasn't entirely sure where the week had gone when her day off arrived and she was loading Spork into Jade's car, giving the pup's head a kiss as she got him secured before climbing into the passenger seat. 

"Okay, so, what are you feeling? McDonald's? Pizza? I'm gonna be sitting with my guy for a good while, if you want to come chill with us while he works on me, obviously that's fine. But I don't know what we're going to do with your son," Jade glanced at her before pulling out into the road to start their drive. 

"Oh, shit, can we get some stuff from the pizza place, actually? And yeah, don't even worry about it. I'll probably bring him in to say hi to the girl at the front desk who did my nose ring, then we'll go down to the park a block over and come check in after a while."

"Yeah, that's fine. Put the order in, will you?" As simply as that, they had food and the next couple of hours taken care of. By the time they reached the pizzaria, their sizable order was ready and picked up, and they were on their way to the tattoo shop. 

The somewhat familiar bells warned of their arrival, the feast set on the table in front of the couch as Tori looked around. Jade was talking to the man behind the counter, who Tori assumed was the artist she had an appointment with. She faintly heard Jade mention she picked up some food for them to work on throughout the session, and her friend was soon grabbing a couple of boxes and following the guy into his station. 

Left in awkward silence with herself, Tori sat on the couch, giving Spork some attention for being such a good boy and being calm and not trying to jump on anything in an unfamiliar place. Once again, Cat seemed to sneak up on her, catching her unaware. This time, the redhead was standing at the end of the hallway, barely even in the waiting room yet. 

"Oh my god, is this the surprise you mentioned?" Her voice called Tori's attention, making her smile as she watched the other woman approach. 

Cat paused a few steps away, her gaze darting back to Tori, "Is it okay if I pet him? Sorry, if I get any closer I'm going to want to sit on the floor with him and-"

"You're good, yeah," Tori laughed softly, welcoming the redhead into their space. Instead of sitting on the floor, she sat right next to Tori, their thighs brushing as she leaned down to let the puppy smell her hand before giving him some love. 

"I, uh. My friend is getting a tattoo right now, so we stopped to get food for her and her artist, and I didn't know if you had a chance to eat yet or if you and the other artists might want something, so I grabbed some food too. And I promise I ate breakfast this morning." God, why was she word vomiting? Suddenly, she was grateful Jade wasn't out here to make fun of her. 

"God, you're a saint! I'm starving but I just haven't had time to order food between helping everybody out and every time I did get to sit down it would just slip my mind. It's your food though, you've gotta have some too!"

"Okay… but just one piece after we finish up, because I really don't want Spork to get you in trouble or get antsy," Tori relented with a slow nod, the puppy looking up innocently when he heard his name. 

"I promise he's fine. If you're okay with it, Sam can hang out out here with him and I'll have your jewelry changed in like thirty seconds. I already have the ring sterilized for you, I just have to throw on a pair of gloves and we're good to go."

Three minutes later they were on the couch again, Cat insisting Tori pick something from Netflix on the large television in front of them. The redhead had also given the pup a stuffed animal to play with while they ate, keeping an eye on her phone for messages asking for help and occasionally excusing herself to answer the shop's phone. 

"Seriously, how can I thank you for bringing me lunch and letting me meet your baby?" Cat gushed, sharing a piece of pepperoni with the pup and looking up at Tori with her pretty eyes. 

"Well… if you aren't seeing someone, maybe we can grab dinner sometime?" Tori couldn't meet those amber eyes, embarrassed that she had actually gone for it. "Sorry, um, was that creepy? I just, I've really enjoyed talking to you the past few days and it feels kind of natural and if you feel the same maybe we can hang out?" She was word vomiting _again_ and just wanted to shut up and hide and ignore how mortifying her behavior was.

"Hey, take a breath," Cat gently nudged the other woman, a smile hugging her lips as she nodded slowly, piercings gleaming in the lighting. "Maybe when I get out tonight we can do something, or we can make plans for the weekend?" She damn near melted when the bundle of fur climbed into her lap with a big yawn, nuzzling his head right up under her hand for pets. "Well, now we have to. He's spoken."


End file.
